Me elsewhere

A mind in transit…

Man of Steel

‘Man of Steel’. The complexities of Clark Kent presented in a beautiful, emotionally rich manner. A super ensemble, score and vision.

Getting to see so much of Krypton brought forth sheer delight. The opening is stunning, creating a real sense of wonder. The first time Clark takes flight, all that wonder comes flooding back.

Inter-cutting flashbacks of Clark’s early childhood while he wanders the world alone searching for answers totally works from a storytelling standpoint. I could have asked for no greater exploration of the struggles of Clark Kent/Kal-El. Henry Cavill certainly looks and suits the many identities he takes on.

Jonathan and Martha Kent are the best parents a superhero could ask for. Kevin Costner and Diane Lane are so damn good every moment they’re on screen with young Clark and old. There’s no doubt that Clark is all he is because of what they’ve instilled in him.

The flashback to a young caped Clark running around the backyard while his dad proudly watches on is perfection. The moment Costner holds his hand out is a fatherly sacrifice that hits you hard.

Speaking of fathers, Russell Crowe is a badass Jor-El! As with Krypton, I didn’t expect to see so much of him, but was very glad to do so.

When I heard Michael Shannon was cast as Zod, my hype for ‘Man of Steel’ increased tenfold. He’s one of my favourite actors working today. The menace in his Zod is evident, yet, I don’t know if it’s what I was expecting. I had higher hopes for him as a villain. His delivery of some lines early on felt rather jarring too.

The last hour descends into the all too familiar destruction of a city. I’ve seen this too often lately to be impressed by the scale of what happens. I wasn’t invested in any of their lives, even Perry and co. There’s a decent amount of cheese littered throughout. Some of plot advances are shaky at best.

Zod’s death brings the focus back on Clark, ending things on a high. The gravity of taking his first life is evident on his face. No doubt the first of many new internal conflicts he’ll face.

I can’t forget Zimmer’s score. Literally. It’s been drumming away in my head from when I left the theatre through to writing this. Now to listen to it again on Rdio.

I had little faith in Snyder when the announcement was initially made. The trailer blew my mind, looking Malick-esque in parts. There’s a lot he’s done right to capture the essence of both Clark and Superman. Bring on Lex.